Document feeding device



Oct. 21, 1952 w. l.. CUTHBERT, JR 2,514,837

DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 2l, 1949 2 Si-IEETS--SHEET l WILL/AM L. UUTHBEETJ?.

INVENTOR @BMJ J BY TORNY AGENT OCL 21 1952 w. 1 cuTHBER1-,JR 2,614,837

DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE vW/LLL/VL. 20TH/BERT JH INVENTOR Patented ct. 21, `1951?.

UNITED STATE PATENT oFFICE Claims. (or. elia-ee) y This invention relates to feeding apparatus and more particularly to feeders of the type for delivering single checks or documents from a "st'ack to a specied station such as the document advancing means of a photographic copying l Numerous attempts have beenv made to design 'and construct a feeder which will satisfactorily remove single checks from' a stack for delivery touanother station without double feeding, i. e. the removal of more than oneclleck from the Steck at time. To eliminate double feeding it is common: practice to provide numerous adjust'- 'lnents for "positioning thestripping or feed rollers with respect to the plate supporting the stack .adfor adjusting the follower which maintains the stack at an angle against the stripper rollers'. Also, most feeders of checks or documents do not readily lend themselves to both automatic stack feeding and shelf feeding of individual checks or documents Without making' various changes or adjustments in the feeder when Vchail'gingf from one form offedig to the other.

In thev `present inventol it has been found that by providing a recess at the forward end of the doeiiment 'supporting plate member end locating e'ry ef said 'Ollei's extends into said ess and is below the surface of the plate ienbe'l" that 'gldles's of the Weight f document bifl fed the a of feed. recess lx Well With the feed olle'rs etediig thereito provides 'ioie deirieit area in efigageriienl',l with the feed oll during either Stack orshelf feeding. With lfiorriiil` and heavier Weight dciirets more positive feeding" also results' dile to nreased fric*- tion resulting from `the document being bowed iit the 'recess by' thefeed rollers. Further, a fllvi'is provided Which is mounted ofi rollers i has" ietai'riing members Whcli freely engage ,v slot in the plate member foi Ygl'lidil'lg the fli lower yand permitting' free `in'ovornont` thereof along said plaie member so that d uniiorrii and `oorlsiarri; pressure is maintained against the stack oy iiie'followdr. As a result, the checks or doodiiiiits are maintained against tira fod rollers with uniform pressure against the lStatik fegardiess of the number of checks irl die" stack. Since the follower is slidably retained on the plate irie'riiber', it `may easily oe `r'eirlovod or Yreplaced to convert` from one `forno-oi feeding io tlieother.

` The primary object of the invention, therefore,

i'stoi-iirovide ille 'siaolisiiiiiioriiiigiiiiribr or a faster rate.

'2 document or check feeder wi'ti'iva recess atl/the 'delivery and thereof and positioning iiioioed rollers said recess toy improve the feeding of single do'oiiieiits from the stack.

Another obioi of uio invention is io provide the stack supporting me'l'be'iff a document or oheoii `feeder with a recess at the delivery ond thereof and posi oiiiiig die food rollers yso that they extend partially irito tiro` ro'oesjs, the distano@ frodi ille aids of r iaiioiji or trio` feed rollers to 'the surface of tho siloportirig riio'iiiber being less than the distance from said `axis to the l'ioi'nt Where the document eil'gvagfes` the feed roller,A

ivllerel'ly the deui'elt area in contact with the food rollers is greatly increased to provide idrpoVed autorisatie feeding Oshelf feedig 0f idvidual documents. i W y s i w Yet another object of tl`leirlveiitir`l iis to `provide adoilret cliecl fedrlin `vvhicl'l the stack follower maintains a oriifooressiiroii rho stack, is readily removed frorri reolaood on theafeedel', and is provided tvitli tvvo docurnentvengaging' suij'fae'es for selectively position- `ingm4 the stack atithe desired angle with respect t0 the-Support meinberj j VStill another objectlof the invention is tpreivide a documenter check feeder which' delivers said documents or checks to aV continuously rtating drum and which is provided with a drive member adaptedhtoengage the drum and adrive means operatively connecting `the drive member to the feed rollers said drive means including an-overrunnirig clutch interposed between `said `drivelnearls and said feedrollers for rotating the `saine and for permitting Withdrawal of the document` engaging said feed roller and drum at a b IArid aiioilir oiojoi of olio iiivniioii is io oro-- viiolo a dooiiirionior olio-ol; feeder which is relaiivolv inexpensive io manufacture, which doos not reduire any adjustments when feeding dif--` vferent weights ofdooiimenis or when oliaiigiiig fr irl` stack iosliolfwfeoding, oiviod versa; arid vv" isfrliaole iis operation.

oni-or ooieois andadvariiagsivill oe apiiarelit toi those skilled the art ovdesorioiion vvllioh follows. i

objectsl oi tile invention ard embodied in adooiimoliiiorrclieoii f eder for delivering oiieoks to apparaiiis for olioiograoriioallv oopying said oiioolis, said apparatusboirig of the type in vviiioh die endors are continuously movedpaso a' phoni-` `grdarlingsiaiiori4 lov yinoaiis of a rotating drum.

`eilen afeder `cdirittises fa plats mditer oro'- "vidodviltii a transverse reoe'ss at tile delivery rid 3 thereof and on which a stack of documents are supported on edge, a pair of rotatable members mounted on said plate member and extending partially into said recess and for frictionally removing documents singly from said stack for delivery to said drum, a followerretained on said plate member and movable therealong for maintainingsaid stack against said rotatable members and at an angle to said plate member,

a drive member rotatably mounted on said plate member and adapted to engage said drum, and a drive means including an overrunning clutch interposed between said drive means and said rotatable members for rotating said rotatable members and for permitting said documents to be withdrawn from under said rotatable members by said drum at a faster rate.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the check feeder and showing its relation to a photographic copying apparatus and the manner in which the drive member contacts the continuously rotating drum of said apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the check feeder showing particularly the location of the recess in which the rotatable members are positioned, the `location of the driving members and the arrangement for maintaining the stack follower on said feeder;

, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing lche position of one of the rotatable members with respect to the recess in the support member and to the stack of checks and the manner in which a single check engages the feed roller as it is withdrawn from the stack; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the overrunning clutch interposed between the drive means and the rotatable members.

`The photographic copying apparatus with which the feeder embodying the invention is adapted to be used is of a well-known type in which the check or document is introduced onto a continuously rotating drum which may be driven in any well-known manner. The check `is fed onto drum I0 near the top thereof and beneath plate Il which serves to hold the check on said drum. Drum |0 is provided with a layer l2 of material, such as cork, having a high coeicient of friction and with a plurality of circumferential grooves |3 spaced axially of said drum in a well-known manner. Formed plates and i5 tend to guide the check as it is moved toward photographing station I6 and beneath glass plate Il. Rollers IB, which are rotatably mounted on plate i9, hold the check against drum l0 as it vis moved through the photographing station, and

plate |9 guides the check to a suitable receptacle not shown. A roller 2|, which is rotatably mounted in bracket 22 pivotally mounted on the tie rod 23, cooperates with a plurality of fingers 24 to properly orient or straighten any checks before they reach the photographing station. Lamps 25 are arranged parallel to the axis of the drum for illuminating the photographing station. A more detailed description of the photographic apparatus will be found in U. S. Patents 1,957,889 issued to R. S. Hopkins et al. on May 8, 1934 which relates to the feeding means, 1,976,346issued to C. J. Hughey on October 9, 1934 which relates to the clutch means for moving the film strip in synchronism with the moving check, and 2,196,741 issued to A. E. Schubert ,drive members 33 which are adapted to engage `drum I0, and a drive means 34 including an overrunning clutch 35.

The support member or plate 30 has a flat center section 40 and formed up side walls 4|. Ad-

fjacent the delivery end of section 43, a shallow recess 45 extends transversely of said section for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Section 46 is also provided with a longitudinal slot 46 which extends from a rectangular aperture 41 at the rear end of the section toward rece-ss 45 at the delivery end thereof. A deflector plate 48 is positioned at the delivery end of section 40 and serves to direct the document toward the drum l0.

A pair of rotatable members or feed rollers 3| are spaced transversely of an above section 40 on shaft 5|, as shown in Fig. 2. Feed rollersl 3| are preferably of rubber or a similar material having a high coeiicient of friction and are fixed to shaft 5| for rotation therewith, shaft 5| being journalled in side walls 4|. With reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that rollers 3| are aligned over recess 45 and that the peripheries of said rollers extend into said recess but do not engage the top surface 54 of said recess. As a result, the distance d from the axis of rotation of shaft 5|, and hence that of rollers 3|, to the top surface of section 40 is less than the distance d' from said axis to the point where the check engages the roller, or in other words, the radius of rollers 3|. In stack and shelf feeding of checks or docu-- ments such as an arrangement of recess45 and feed rollers 3| provides more document area in engagement with the rollers. It can be readily appreciated that where the feed roller is tangent to the surface supporting the stack, the area of document contact with the feed roller can be increased only by increasing the angle of the stack. However, where the checks or documents are fanned for feeding, there is an optimum angle for the stack which provides the best results, and by placing feed rollers 3| in recess 45 not only is the` optimum angle retained but the area of document contact is increased and double feeding is eliminated. likewise, when documents are shelf fed and the feed rollers are tangent to the stack supporting surface, the roller makes only line contact with the document, whereas when the feed rollers are placed in recess 45, there is a denite area of document contact with the feed rollers and increased friction between the document and feed roller because the document is bowed into the recess.

The stack follower 32 is formed from a single sheet of metal and is provided with document engaging surfaces 56 and 5l and formed over ears 58 in which shafts 59 are journalled, said shafts having rollers 60 rotatably mounted thereon, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Surfaces 56 and 51 are formed at different angles to the horizontal to provide two different stack angles with respect to section 40, one of which provides more'wraparound the feed rollers than the other depending on the weight of check being fed. Both surfaces 56 and 51 terminate in a portion which has located centrally thereof a T-shaped projection 6|, see Figs. 2 and 3, which retains the follower on plate member 30 and guides itin slot 46. The leg portions 62 of projections 6| are slightly narrower thaiislotiiilridxthefcross.members E3 are slightlgsmaller than theaperture 41 to., permit sia-id cross-:members toV be. easily` removedthrough or-placedzinsaid aperture.A the feeder is placediinposition. as shown Fig. l, the plate member 3.0. is positioned at ani angle to the horizontal-bythe positioning members 64 whichflare secured` to'. the bottom 'of section 40 and; which have feet 65 for engaging the top 66 of the apparatus. As a result, the follower 32 is free to move along the inclined section 40 of its `own weight on rollers 60, being guided by slot 46 and maintaining a uniform pressure on the stack of checks or documents at all times.

When a stack of checks or documents is to be placed on plate member 30 for automatic feeding, follower 32 is moved to the rear of plate member 30. The operator can then place the stack on section 40 against rollers 3| and release follower 32 to permit it to roll along section 40 to seek engagement with the rear end of the stack. To reverse the angle of the stack, the` follower 32 is moved rearwardly until the rear cross member 63 can be withdrawn through aperture 41 and is then moved still farther rearwardly until the front cross member is under aperture 4'? for withdrawal therethrough. The follower is then rotated through 180 degrees so that the rear cross member 63 is first inserted through aperture 41 as the front cross member, the follower then being moved forward until the other cross member is positioned so that it can also be dropped through aperture 41.

Drive members 33 are secured to shaft 10 whichy is journalled in the blocks 1I secured to the bottom of section 40 and are adapted to engage drum l when properly positioned on the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1. Sprocket 12 is fixed to one end of shaft andis rotatable with members 33. A second sprocket 13 is freely rotatable on shaft 5l and is connected to sprocket 12 by chain 14. A plate 15 is integral with sprocket 13 and has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 16 of the esoapement type which engages ratchet 11. Pawl 'i6 and ratchet 11, therefore, constitutes the overrunning clutch 35 which is interposed between the drive means comprising sprockets 12 and 13 and chain 14 and the rollers 3l. As is well known, upon rotation of sprocket 13 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, pawl 16 will pick up ratchet 11 to rotate shaft 5l and rollers 3l. Since sprockets 12 and 13 have been chosen so that rollers 3| are rotated at a peripheral speed less than that of drum IIJ, the document is removed from the stack atv that speed until it contacts the drum. Once the leading edge of the document has been moved onto drum l0, it is moved at the speed of the drum, and pawl 16 permits shaft 5I to be rotated at the faster speed until the trailing edge of the document has cleared rollers 3l at which time pawl i6 again picks up ratchet 11 to rotate it at its normal speed.

From the foregoing description, it can be readily appreciated that the arrangement of a recess with the feed -rollers extending thereinto provides a relatively inexpensive and efiicient way of obtaining more document area in contact with the feed rollers and improves the feeding of documents from a stack, or the shelf feeding of individual documents. It is not intended that the invention be limited to the apparatus described inasmuch as, in view of the disclosure, other modification and uses, other than in connection with photographic apparatus. will readily suggest merma themselves tc those skilled in tha-art withcmt` da parting fromI `the` spirit. ofthe invention orf` the scope oflthevappended claimsr Vf 1 Having.: now particularly described: my" invention, what I` desirellto secure by; Letters Patent' ofthe Unitedi statesfandwhat I: claimisfr 1 i 1` l. In a device for feeding discrete documents to 'aV photographic apparatus, the combination comprising a plate member for supporting a stack of documents-oriedg'e; and-f plate? member being arranged: at an angle to the horizontal `and having a parti-cylindrical depression gin aijdi plate extending transverse to the direction of sheet travel, located at the delivery end of said plate member and extending substantially the width of said plate member, a rotating member mounted on said plate memberv onV an axis parallel to said depression and having a portion ofthe periphery thereof extending into said depression and for frictionally removing documents singly from said stack, and a follower retained on said plate member and movable therealong for maintaining said stack against said rotating member and at an angle to said plate member.

2. In a device for feeding discrete documents to a photographic apparatus, the combination comprising a plate member for supporting a stack of documents on edge, said plate member being arranged at an angle to the horizontal and having a parti-cylindrical depression in said plate extending transverse to the direction of' sheet travel, located at the delivery end of said plate member and extending substantially the width of said plate member, a plurality of coaxial .spaced rotating members mounted on said plate member on an axis parallel to said depression and having a portion of the periphery of each rotating member extending into said depression and for frictionally removing documents singly from said stack, the normal distance from the axis of rotation of said rotating members to the surface of said plate member being less than the normal distance from said axis to the point where a document engages said rotating members, and a follower retained on said plate member and movable therealong for maintaining said stack against said rotatable members and at an angle to said plate member.

3. In a device for feeding discrete documents to a photographic apparatus, the combination comprising a plate member for supporting a stack of documents on edge, said plate member being arranged at an angle to the horizontal and having a parti-cylindrical depression in said plate extending transverse to the direction of sheet travel, located at the delivery end of said plate member and extending substantially the width of said plate member and being provided with a longitudinal slot centrally thereof and perpendicular to said depression, a plurality of coaxial spaced rotating members mounted on said plate member on an axis parallel tosaid depression and having a portion of the periphery of each rotating member extending into said depression and for frictionally removing documents singly from said stack, the normal distance from the axis of rotation of said rotating members to the surface of said plate member being less than the normal distance from said axis to the point where a document engages said rotating members, and a follower movable along said plate member for maintaining said stack against said rotatable members and at an angle to saidplate member and comprising two intersecting surfaces arranged at different acute angles to the same plane and a membervforme'd integral with each surface and adapted to engage said slot for guiding said followerA in its movement along said plate member and for permitting said follower to berdetached from said plate member for selectively positioning one of said surfaces against said stack. WILLIAM L. CUTHBERT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 8, UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Name Date f McArdle et al. Feb.` 28. 1911 Armstrong May- 13, 1913 Allen Feb. 3, 1914 Krell May 18, 1937 Davidson Aug; 17, 1937 Post Nov, 21, 1944 

